Sunland Park Airsoft celebrated its one-year anniversary on August 16, 2026, with a competition at the Airsoft Field behind the multi-generational building. The event doubled as a birthday celebration for Julian, a 19-year-old player from Alamogordo, whose friends traveled from Alamogordo, Las Cruces, Fort Bliss, and El Paso to join him.
The program launched in August 2025 as the first youth Airsoft initiative of its kind in the U.S. It gives teenagers a supervised place to practice, paired with active-duty and veteran mentors who teach gun safety alongside tactics. Many veterans involved describe the range time as a source of camaraderie, and a chance to spend a day outdoors with friends and family.
The event drew players and spectators from three states for a day of competition, safety instruction, and celebration. City staff say the turnout reflects the program’s growth over its first year, from a local pilot to a draw for players well beyond Sunland Park’s borders.
The Airsoft Field is located behind the multi-generational building at Sunland Park Sports Complex (4700 McNutt Rd, Santa Teresa, NM). The program continues to welcome new participants interested in joining future events.
